Birdproofing



'- Dec. 8, 1942. J. s. PELES 2,304,593

BIRDPROOFING Filed Oct 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 34 @zmora.

56 I ATTORNEY Dec. 8, 1942. J. 5. PELES 2,304,593

BIRDPROOFING Filed Oct. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 Patented Dec. 8, 1942 V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,304,593 I Julius $301k. N- Y. Application glztlzbilrsz, tit-(L23 No. 359,336

This invention relates to birdproofing.

One object of the invention is to provide improved birdprooflng which is adapted to prevent the alighting on the ledges of buildings of different types of birds, and especially pigeons. All birdprooflng must be made in accordance with local regulations to safeguard the life and health of the birds. oftentimes aperson who is so licitous about the well being of birds may require even more stringent safeguarding of the birds and avoidance of anything which may seriously cause them any discomfort. It is'therefore one object of the invention to provide bird- "proofing which shall meet all these requirements.

Another object of the invention is to provide birdprooflng of improved construction such that it can be much more compactly Packed and shipped than was heretofore possible. Since I birdproofing often extends over long distances,

the shipment thereof is generally a serious problem and has frequently required that the birdproofing be cut up in short. sections. This in turn necessitated that a great many such relatively short sections be separately fastened to the building. The consequent increase inlabor and cost of installation was very considerable especially when the birdproofing had to be secured to material of very hard composition, for example, granite or the like. It is therefore an object of the invention to overcome these drewbacks.

Another object is to provide improved birdproofing that can be readily continuously trained around corners without in any way cutting the birdprooflng.

Another object of the invention is to provide birdprooflng of improved collapsible structure sothat it can be much more compactly shipped than even the short sections into which birdproofing had been cut as heretofore.

Another object of the invention is to provide birdproofing of an improved type whereby a long length thereof can be reliably secured in place at very few points, for example, by attachment only at the ends thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved birdprooflng that may be wholly free of joints so as eliminate any possibility of accidental breakage or loosening of parts and to greatly reduce the cost of manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide birdprooflng so constructed and arranged inan improved manner'as to have substantially increased efliciency in preventing birds from alighting upon the protected parts of a building other structure.

Other objects and advantages of the inventionwill become apparent as the specification proceeds.

with the aforesaid objects in view, the invenrangements of parts hereinafter described in their I vme.

tion consists in the novel'combinations and arpreferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawings: Figure l is a fragmentary view in front elevation showing a building with one form of the birdproofing applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the birdproofing, illustrative of a long length thereof, but with a part removed to reduce the draw- F'ig. l is a view in side elevation thereof showing the birdprooflng in collapsed position.

Fig. ,5 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the birdprooflng with a separate longitudinal anchor member for spacing the turns of wire in operative mounted position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in end elevation thereof.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of a mcdificatoin showing birdprooflng like that of Fig. 6, but with the wire turns corrugated.

the ledge to which it is secured.

Fig. 13 is a view in vertical elevation showing a modification of the invention, similar in principle to that of Fig. 3.

Figs. 14 and 15 are similar views in vertical elevation of other modifications.

The advantages of the invention as here outmay be incorporated in several different con-" structions. The accompanying drawings, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the pr ferred exemplification of the invention. 4

Referring in detail to the drawings, 15 denotes a. device embody ng the invention. The same may comprise any building or structure" having an ornamental ledge II or the like. Mounted on this ledge is the birdprooflng 20 embodying the invention. As more particularly shown in Figs. 3 to 6, the birdprooflng 2| is of generally circular or oval form, although it may "also be of hexagonl or other suitable shape. As best exemplified by the circular form, the shape should be such that there would be no possible injury or discomfort to a bird attempting to alight on the ledge II of the building. Heretofore various structures have been provided which comprised point portions that were blunted to avoid injury to the birds. Nevertheless, in its struggle to find a foothold on the ledge, the bird would sometimes injure itself, and frequently might find lodgment between the point portions or. against the side wall of the building and rest there while suffering some discomfort. With the birdprooflng shown herein, it

is quite impossible for a bird to rest upon the ledge because the circular form provides considerabletransverse width so that birdproofing such as "covers substantially the entire ledge.

If, however, the bird should be able to rest upon the ledge, it would sufler no discomfort, so that there will be no cause for complaint by persons stretched to vary the spacing between the wires 2|. The birdproofing 20 also comprises means for securing the same in position and for maintaining the wire turns 2| in spaced relation to each other against the tension of the spring 2,so4,ses

ameter should be approximately two and onehalf inches and preferably should not exceed three inches because otherwise the birdproofing may be so large as to be visible from the street below and hence tend to disfigure the building.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is shown a modification comprising birdproofing 20a which may be substantiaily like that shown at 2. except that the securing means may include a relatively straight element or wire 23 having a series of recesses 24 spaced apart as hereinabove discussed. These recesses are adapted to receive the bottom turns of the diiferent wire turns with the element 22 overlying said bottom turns. Consequently the wire turns 2! can not escape from the recesses because the bottom portions thereof lie between the element 22 and the underlying ledge. The element 23 has the advantage that it assures reliable and accurate spacing throughout without relying upon the care of the person who makes the installation. Moreover, if the extensibility of the wire 'isnot wholly uniform throughout, the recesses 24 of the element 22 nevertheless assure a relatively uniform spacing between the turns 2|. removably engaged with .the recessed portions 24, so that for installation it is merely necessary to slip the element 23 through the birdproofing and engage it with the successive recessed portions. The element 23 may be secured in any suitable manner to the building as, .for example, by enlargements or eye portions 25 adapted to receive nails or fastener elements.

' In Fig. 7 is shown a modified form of birdmaterial. For example, the means referred to may comprise enlargements or ears 22 at the extreme ends of the wire, adapted to receive screws or other elements for securement to the building. Due to the resilient tension of the birdproofing, the same will automatically snugly hug the ledge or other part of the building to which it is aflixed, and this will be true of all points intermediate of the ends 22.

In its initial position, the birdproofing 26 may be collapsed as shown in Fig. 4, -with all of the turns 2| being closely side by side and in substantial contact with each other. Only the end portions 22 need project. Accordingly birdprooflng which is adapted to cover a very sub-' stantial length may be shipped in a relatively smallpackage or container. To instal the same it is merely necessary for the operator to stretch the birdproofing, preferably without exceeding its elastic limit, and to suitably anchor it to the building as at the points 22. Supplemental fastenings can be applied at an intermediate point to the base portion of one ofi'the wire turns; such fastenings may be in the nature of ordinary hooks or staples.

The spacing between the wire turns should be tical planes of the wire turns in order that the effective spacing between the latter may not be reduced. Moreover, the contacts of the birdproofing in its collapsed position as shown in Fig.

4 may thus be maintained.

sufliciently large to prevent the foot of a pigeon from straddling across and grasping two adjacent turns for thus alighting upon the birdproofing itself. Consequently the birdproofing should be stretched sufficiently to provide a spacing of approximately two inches. Otherwise it should beat aminimuminordernottopermitbirdsto alight between the wire turns. Moreover, the diameter of the coil should exceed the length of the pigeons leg in orderthat a pigeon may not vbe able to alight on the ledge by placing its foot between the wire turns. Consequently the di- In Figs. 8, ii and 10 is shown another modification comprising birdproofing 200 which embodies certain of the fundamental considerations stated for the birdproofing 20. Accordingly a series of coils or circular elements 21, and certain other similar elements 2| are provided. All of these elements lie in parallel vertical planes and are uniformly spaced from each other and are disposed along acommon axis. The elements 2! are open at the bottom and terminate in hooked portions 2! which are looped around longitudinal wires 30. These wires ll are uni- 'formly. spaced from each other and are welded to the hooked portions 2|, which thus form the terminals for each of the elements 21. A relatively smaller number of elements 22 is em.- ployed, these being arranged so that the wires 20 pass over the bottom portions thereof and are welded thereto as shown in Fig. 10. The terminals or ends-of the wires that form the coils 28 are welded together at 3| to thus form sections between the wires to and which serve to directly rigidly interconnect the same to thus provide a strong bottom structurewhereby this birdproofing 2lemay be anchored to a ledge or the like.

In Figs. 11 and 12 is shown still another modification of the invention comprising a birdproofing 32 which may include a ring element 32 to which are welded the inner or lower ends of a The latter are merely series'of wire-like fingers 34 which are upwardly and outwardly divergent from each other. The

upper ends of these elements are bent over as at 35 to avoid points which, might be injurious to 4 birds. The ring element 33 is so arranged as to be adapted to receive a nail or screw 36 which may be driven into a building portion 31 for rigidly securing the birdproofingithereto. The

spacing between the varous fingers 34 may be readily adjusted by bending the same so .as to .thus obtain birdproofing efiectiveffor any particular type of bird. The birdproofing 32-is particularly adapted to be used at corners or spots where the available space is too small for the use of birdproofing such as shown at 23, although it will be appreciated that thelatter may readily be trained around comers and the like. Moreover, birdprooflng such as shown at 32 may advantageously be used at the extreme ends of bi'rdproofing such as shownat Z0.

may be suitablyrounded. All of these portions 4| may lie in the same plane and the structure as a whole is collapsible and expansible because of its resilience. Accordingly it may be shipped in the collapsed-compact form, and then expanded tothe position shown in Fig. 13 by exertin a pull thereon, and then achoring the same to the building as by means of the. ears 42; These ears are arranged of course to maintain the loops in an upright plane or at a suitable angle as may be desired.

In Figs. 14 and 15 are shown modified forms of birdprooflng 43 and 44, each consisting of a series of upright loop portions forming a single wire structure, and may consist of resilient material. The loop-like portions comprise rounded top portions and generally parallel sides securing said wire in expanded operative position; 2. A device comprising a building and birdproofi'ng including a wire member having a series of spaced upright elastic loop-like portions forming a continuous one-piece structure and being bent to conform to the varying contour oi the building on whichthe same is mounted,

said member being stretched and under tension. and means at the ends of the member for securing the same tothe building in upright position.

3. Pigeonproofing including a helical wire member of spring metal capable of being resiliently elongated to operative condition with the turns of-wire spaced and capable of con traction so that the turns of wire lie initially closely side by side in compact condition for shipment and the like, said wire member being elongated so that the approximate spacing between the turns of wire shall be substantially greater than the initial spacing and suflicient. to

prevent the foot of a pigeon from grasping two adjacent turns of wire to thus perch on the pigeonproofing, means at the ends of the wire member for securing the same to a building to maintain the turns of wire in spaced parallel planes, and a base wire element for causing-a i precisely uniform spacing between the turns of wire irrespective of any variation in elongation at different points along the wire member, said. wire element having spaced recessed portions for individually receiving base portions of, the wire turns, said recessed portions being so detachably engageable with the wire turns. as to permit engagement with the latter to be-readily efiected after the helical wire member has been stretched and secured at its ends.

4;Pigeonproofing according to claim 3 wherein said turns of wire are provided with corrugations lying in generally parallel .planesto permit contraction of the helical member with the turns of wire lying in close side-by-side position. .5. Pigeonproofing including a helical wir 'member of spring metal capable of being resiland are arranged as a continuous one-piece structure lying in a plane, and having the end securing ears 46. In the birdprooflng 44 the looplike portions 41 are arranged in the form 01. inverted V's, but the structure is otherwise similar tothat shown at 43, and it also terminates in 'the' molmting ears 43. The blrdproofing shown at' 43 and 44 is thus maintained in an upright plane or at a desired angle by reason of its mounting and is furthermore adapted to be readily trained around any comer or other contour of a building on which the birdprooflng is to be type shown at 43 and 44 may be collapsed by A bending the same at one or more intermediate iently elongated to vary the spacing between the diiferent turns of wire, said member being adapted to be longitudinally elastically contracted with the turns of wire lying closely side by side for compact packing and shipment, the i spacing between the turns of helical wire being suiiicient when the member is mounted to premounted. For shipment the birdprooflng of the points, and this birdprooflng may be readily unbent and straightened out when it is ready to be applied. It will be appreciated that birdproofing of the type shown at 43 and can. be mounted in one or more'rows as may be desired to eflectively cover a building ledge or the like.

I claim:

1. Birdprooflng including a wire member having a series of spaced upright'loop-like portions forming a resilient longitudinally expansible collapsible one-piece structure, said portions being continuously corrugated, and means having portions for overlying and for vent the foot of a pigeon from grasping two adjacent turns of wire in order to perch on the I pigeonproofing, means for securing the end portions of the helical member to the building to maintain the, turns of wire in spaced parallel planes, and base means for securing said helical wire member to a supporting ledge of a building detachably, including a relatively straight wire element having spaced portions for detachably receiving-base portions of the individual turns of' wire as to maintain uniform the said spacing between the turns of wire against the resilient tension member, and the diameter of the films of said member-being only so large as to prevent a pigeon from reaching the ledge with its feet without being'so large as to be readily visible from a street below the ledge, the turns othwlre being corrugated, as and for the purpose set forth.- l r 

